Christian
Magnanou, former inhabitant of
Casablanca
:
17 years old in 1968

Panel
carrier

"The
60 minutes of
Casablanca
" are an unknown episode. Two Alpine A220 V8, driven by André Guelfi and
André De Cortanze had made displacement in
Casablanca
. Amédée Gordini himself was on the circuit, I remember I’ve talk to him
during this meeting.
My father being close to the organizers, I had this day the "the enormous
one responsability" to show the panel indicating every laps remaining to
the head driver. I was 17 years old...Among participants there was
Giorgi with his Lola T70 wich was broken during qualifications, Dutoit with an
already old Porsche 904, Kerguen (French man from Casablanca participating
several times at Le Mans, particularly with an Aston Martin Zagato) on a Porsche
911S and the rest of the grid was composed with local drivers on Matra Djet6,
Alpine Berlinette Tour de France, Alfa Giuletta Veloce and other antique Tank
DKW...
Guelfi (he was at the time 48 years) who has never been very soft with mechanics,
exploded the gear box after some laps; De Cortanze walked in his racing car, and
it was rather an advertizing operation for "Renault Maroc" and "Afriquia
ELF".
I’ve never found a line about this winning in a magazine, however it took
place.

I’ve
a picture, which was taken by a local photographer on the start line, showing me
handling lap by lap panel beside De Cortanze sitting in the Alpine V8, the door
was opened because of heat, and he was waiting for the start: